Across
- 1. A five-fold design etched in the evolutionary blueprint.
- 3. Close quarters lead to competition within the same kind.
- 4. Ancient survivors of extremes, these microorganisms thrive where others fail.
- 6. One double bond makes this fatty acid stand out as heart-friendly.
- 8. A sneaky agent, it disrupts DNA and alters genetic destiny.
- 9. A way of eating where food goes in, gets digested, and waste goes out.
- 12. A collective shield forms when the many protect the vulnerable few.
- 13. Molecular detectives on the lookout for chemical clues in the environment.
- 16. A molecule painting the world with the colours of light.
- 17. A messenger that sparks movement and sends signals across the synapse.
- 18. A massive natural community shaped by climate and terrain.
- 21. (anaerobe) Optional breather, thriving even when air’s in short supply.
- 24. Plants wage silent wars underground, releasing toxins to defend their turf.
- 30. When charges shift, neurons fire in a spark of activity.
- 31. An Arctic swimmer who navigates its icy home through hidden openings.
- 33. Part split, part harmony—heads turn to water, tails shy away.
- 34. A calculation favoured by biologists and named for someone presidential.
- 35. Where signals converge, this network orchestrates the response.
- 37. Living side by side, yet gradually growing apart into distinct forms.
- 38. A microscopic doorway where water flows freely in and out.
- 39. Seedlings emerge in twos, with branching veins in their leafy design.
Down
- 1. Capable of endless forms, these cells hold limitless promise.
- 2. A cosy microenvironment shaping the paths of regenerative potential.
- 5. Water works its magic, breaking bonds with a splash.
- 7. niche An organism’s full range of possibilities—unhindered by competition or threats.
- 10. A molecular machine that unwinds life’s twisted ladder.
- 11. Illnesses on the move, leaping silently across species boundaries.
- 14. Relating to the gut, this term describes all things digestive.
- 15. A sugar with a key role in carrying life’s messages and energy.
- 19. A surge of energy and action, triggered by moments of stress.
- 20. Busy with daily duties, these cells stay out of the genetic legacy game.
- 22. A system shuttling supplies from source to sink, ensuring growth continues.
- 23. A snapshot of chromosomal order, revealing life’s genetic map.
- 25. Small but mighty, this keeps actions coordinated and balance intact.
- 26. A plant cell’s retreat when water is drawn away, leaving it shrivelled.
- 27. Silence in the genome—this technique disables specific traits.
- 28. Human hands leave lasting marks on the environment, often irreversible.
- 29. A square’s worth of sampling helps ecologists count life in patches.
- 32. This dome-shaped muscle powers breath, rising and falling with every sigh.
- 36. Upward push saves the sinking, resisting the weight of the world.